A Fort Smith fire marshal says a four-year-old boy may have started a small fire Thursday with a lighter in the bedroom of a apartment.
Firefighters were dispatched to the Briarwood Apartments on Duke Ave. Thursday around 2:15 p.m. when a resident called 911. Kimberly Galvez, who lives in the unit with her 4-year-old son Adrian, were able to make it outside safely.
Firefighters quickly put the fire out, but not before it spread to the attic. Eight units in the apartment complex also have smoke and water damage, according to officials. Fire Marshal Ronnie Rogers said Galvez told him Adrian may have been playing with a lighter when the fire started.
"That's the second fire we've had in about a month where a child playing with a lighter or matches has lit an apartment on fire," Rogers said.
Galvez later told 5NEWS she wasn't sure her son was to blame, since there was also a strand of lights plugged in near some stuffed animals in his room.
"I had found a lighter in my car and put it up in a high place to keep it away from him," she said. "I don't think he could have gotten it down."
Firefighters also had to cut power to eight units during the fire, and the Northwest Arkansas chapter of the Red Cross is working with those residents to make sure they have a place to stay until they can go back to their apartments.
"We're meeting with them tonight to see if they can stay with relatives or friends, and help them if they lost property like clothes and such," said Mike Turner, a volunteer with the Red Cross.
Galvez says no matter where she sleeps, she's glad her son Adrian will be next to her.
"I'm just thankful he's alive, and he's okay," she said.
Firefighters were dispatched to the Briarwood Apartments on Duke Ave. Thursday around 2:15 p.m. when a resident called 911. Kimberly Galvez, who lives in the unit with her 4-year-old son Adrian, were able to make it outside safely.
Firefighters quickly put the fire out, but not before it spread to the attic. Eight units in the apartment complex also have smoke and water damage, according to officials. Fire Marshal Ronnie Rogers said Galvez told him Adrian may have been playing with a lighter when the fire started.
"That's the second fire we've had in about a month where a child playing with a lighter or matches has lit an apartment on fire," Rogers said.
Galvez later told 5NEWS she wasn't sure her son was to blame, since there was also a strand of lights plugged in near some stuffed animals in his room.
"I had found a lighter in my car and put it up in a high place to keep it away from him," she said. "I don't think he could have gotten it down."
Firefighters also had to cut power to eight units during the fire, and the Northwest Arkansas chapter of the Red Cross is working with those residents to make sure they have a place to stay until they can go back to their apartments.
"We're meeting with them tonight to see if they can stay with relatives or friends, and help them if they lost property like clothes and such," said Mike Turner, a volunteer with the Red Cross.
Galvez says no matter where she sleeps, she's glad her son Adrian will be next to her.
"I'm just thankful he's alive, and he's okay," she said.
